The ongoing negotiations on the new minimum wage have been adjourned until Wednesday following the organized labour’s rejection of the Federal Government’s proposed N54,000 minimum wage. This proposal was an increase from the earlier suggested N48,000.

Tuesday’s meeting was a continuation of discussions after members of the organized labour staged a walkout last week in response to the initial N48,000 proposal by the Federal Government. The Organized Private Sector (OPS) had also proposed N54,000, while labour remained firm on its demand for a N615,000 living wage.

The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, reiterated the May 31, 2024, deadline for implementing the new minimum wage. He emphasized that the N615,000 demand was based on analysing the current economic situation and the needs of an average Nigerian family of six. Ajaero criticized the government and the OPS for the breakdown in negotiations, stating, “Despite earnest efforts to reach an equitable agreement, the less than reasonable action of the Government and the Organized Private Sector has led to a breakdown in negotiations.”

The unions acknowledged the ongoing negotiations in a joint statement by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), signed by Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo. Still, they stressed the urgency of reaching a fair and equitable agreement. They highlighted the need for the new wage to reflect the true value of Nigerian workers’ contributions and address the current survival crisis facing Nigerians due to government policies. The unions affirmed their commitment to protecting workers’ interests in the negotiation process.

The push for a new minimum wage began on January 30, 2024, when President Bola Tinubu, through Vice President Kashim Shettima, inaugurated the 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage. This committee, comprising representatives from federal and state governments, the private sector, and organized labour, was tasked with recommending a new national minimum wage before the current N30,000 wage expiration on April 18.

During the committee’s inauguration, Shettima urged members to “speedily” arrive at a resolution and submit their reports promptly to ensure a new minimum wage emerged. In furtherance of this assignment, zonal public hearings were held simultaneously on March 7 in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, and Abuja. Various proposals emerged from these hearings, with NLC members in the southwest states demanding N794,000 and the TUC suggesting N447,000, citing the current economic difficulties and high living costs.

The next meeting, set for Wednesday, will be crucial in determining whether a consensus can be reached on a new minimum wage that adequately addresses the needs of Nigerian workers and their families.